Muslims migrating from Syria have admitted to converting to Christianity in a bid to boost their chances of being given asylum in the West, despite the risks associated with apostasy.Two Muslim Syrians living in Lebanon have told The Telegraph that they and their families have converted to Christianity because they believe it gives them a better chance of gaining asylum in the West, and because they can better access aid from Christian charities.

Ibrahim Ali, who became homeless after moving to Beirut, told the paper: “A lot of people are doing it to get to Europe, the US and Canada. While I plan to stay in Lebanon, I know hundreds who been baptised just to help their applications. They would do anything to have security for their family.”

The Department of Homeland Security announced Monday that it will soon require more people to undergo in-person interviews before they can gain a firmer legal footing in the U.S., carrying out yet another part of President Trump’s extreme vetting executive order.

While the so-called travel ban on six Muslim-majority countries has garnered most of the attention, it was just a temporary measure designed to give the government the space to stiffen its regular checks so it could be more adept at denying potential terrorists entry.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced one of those new policies Monday, saying it wants more people to have to face in-person interviews before they’re giving permanent status in the country.